The present invention relates to a dispenser of viscous fluids and, in particular, a container-dispenser that can be used with one hand to supply a controlled amount of viscous fluid in a convenient and clean way.
Many useful products are supplied as viscous fluids, commonly referred to as lotions, gels, greases, suspensions, creams, jellies, colloids, oils or salves. Such products include cosmetics, skin-care products, hygiene products such as fluid soap, or topical medications.
One method known in the art is to supply these products in wide-mouthed containers with lids, such as jars. Once the jar is open, the user can remove a required amount of product with the use of the fingers or aids such as cotton swabs and cotton balls. The disadvantages of jars are manifold. Throughout the time during which the product is in use it is exposed to the open air and light leading to drying out and other changes which comprise the desired properties of the product. Closing the jar after removal of an amount of product is inconvenient as opening and closing of the jar requires a relatively complex motion which cannot be done if one hand is occupied or if the hands are dirty. When repeated removal of the product from the jar is necessary, contamination may occur. For instance remnants of cosmetics on a cotton-ball when using cold cream for facial cosmetic removal may contaminate the product in the jar. The outside surface of the jar can get dirty from the product on the hands of the user. When the container is almost empty it is difficult to remove the last traces of the product for use. With certain products it is often difficult to remove the exact required amount.
In the art, a pump-action dispenser attached to the container holding the product is often used. This type of dispenser protects the product from light and from exposure to air, but often requires the use of two hands. Even in the best of cases, the use of one hand to bring the product onto an aid such a cotton-ball is difficult. Dripping from or the presence of dried product on the pump-spout often occurs. Often the last traces of the product are not removable from a container equipped with a pump-action dispenser.
In the art, it has been proposed to fix various types of container-dispensers to a wall or table, making one-handed dispensing convenient. However, it is often undesirable to impossible to fix a dispenser in one place.
There is therefore a need for a container-dispenser for viscous a fluid which overcomes the disadvantages of other container-dispensers known in the art.
The present invention is a container-dispenser which can be used with one hand to supply a controlled amount of viscous fluid in a convenient, easy to use way which protects the contents of the container-dispenser from exposure and contamination, and yet allows use of the entire contents of the container.
According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided a container-dispenser, for containing and dispensing a viscous fluid, made up of (a) a parallel-walled container body, formed with at least one wall defining a volume with an axis parallel to the wall, the container body having a top edge, (b) a piston configured to sealingly slide parallel to the axis within the container body, (c) a dispensing head with a top surface and a dispensing hole extending from the top surface through the dispensing head, the dispensing head connected to the top edge of the container body such that the wall or walls, the piston and the dispensing head together define a storage volume for the viscous fluid, the top surface of the dispensing head being inwardly hollowed, and (d) a normally-closed manually-operable valve mechanism associated with the dispensing hole so as to selectively block and unblock the dispensing hole to the passage of the viscous fluid.
According to a further feature of the present invention, a part of the valve mechanism protrudes from the dispensing hole and the valve mechanism is configured to unblock the dispensing hole when a downwards force is applied on that protruding part.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is provided a valve mechanism made up of a plug configured to physically block the dispensing hole when the valve mechanism is in a closed state, the plug configured to partially protrude from the dispensing hold and a mechanism for biasing the plug to the closed state.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is provided a container-dispenser wherein the container body is substantially cylindrical.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is provided a dispensing head attached to the top edge of the container-body.
According to a further feature of the present invention, there is provided a dispensing head integrally formed with the top edge of the container-body.
According to a further feature of the present invention there is provided a pressure-applying mechanism configured to apply pressure to the bottom side of the piston.
According to a still further feature of the present invention the pressure-applying mechanism provided is a spring deployed so as to apply a force pushing the piston upwards within the container body.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, there is provided a foot operatively connected to the bottom side of the piston, the foot configured to stably support the container-dispenser on an underlying surface so that the container body and the dispensing head are at least partially supported by pressure within the viscous fluid.